


God Squad: Reflections

by ktbl



Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games)
Genre: Complicated Relationships, Gen, Immortality, MK11 - Freeform, POV Multiple, Timeline Shenanigans, What-If, mk11 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2021-02-07 18:50:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21462832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ktbl/pseuds/ktbl
Summary: Sonya's God Squad consider why they joined and what the task at hand means - and, in some cases, what they left behind.
Relationships: Jacqui Briggs/Takeda Takahashi, Sonya Blade/Johnny Cage
Kudos: 10





	1. Cassie Cage

**Author's Note:**

> Some spoilers for MK11 if you haven't run through the game (or watched a Story Mode playthrough). It's been many years since I dabbled in writing in general and fanfic in particular, and the idea of the God Squad just stuck with me, so have some drabbles.

After Kronika was destroyed, everything changed. Just not the way I expected. I thought everything would be rewritten, and we’d never know. I didn’t expect what Mom - what Sonya - did.

When she killed Kronika, Sonya became a god. After that, she laid out her plans: the only way to protect Earthrealm would be to fight off the dangers in all the other realms. We would leave the OIA, Jin and Takeda and everyone else, to do what they do best - and we’d take the fight to what the OIA couldn’t handle. That meant killing gods, and to do that, killing old gods to make new ones. So Sonya’s God Squad was born.

Made. Whatever.

The idea that she wanted to spend eternity, kicking ass together with me? Way better than the childhood I remember. Killing gods with Mom-not-mom? Even cooler. Raiden basically showed up one day, and… ceded his powers to me, that’s the only way I can explain it. It was weird and not so complicated, but I’m Cassie the thunder goddess now. Boom, bitches!

Uncle Jax was roped in next; we slaughtered a chthonic deity a few Realms over that had its eyes Earthrealm. Then, Jacqui (Sonya let me ask her), and then Dad – well, Johnny. I may have pushed her into it a bit (okay, a lot). I told her I wanted them both there. Really, I wanted her to be happy, but she can’t be happy without fighting (herself or others) over it, and even if she doesn’t see it, Johnny does the job. Sonya’s got all the control in the world, except when he (and I) are involved. I saw that first little spark after Kano’s fight club, and after everything my parents went through, I want these versions to have the best chance at something going right.

It had to be past Johnny, too - it couldn’t be my dad. I knew that, and there were lots of nights that I cried, not gonna lie. Real-Dad is still there, with the OIA, but he couldn’t be the one to become a god. And when he dies… There wouldn’t be anyone left who remembers all the things that happened when I was little. No one who’d remember my first words, or when I walked, or the first time I knocked Mom (or Dad) down in a sparring match. But I knew it wasn’t fair to either of them, if I asked for my Dad. So it had to be past Johnny.

I still see Jin and Takeda, for OIA business (and for parties, because why not?). I see Dad too; he’s so proud of me it hurts. Sometimes I want to ask Sonya to make him a god too, but I know Dad wouldn’t want forever, without Mom. So I put on sunglasses and we go for drinks, share stories, and I make sure nothing comes to Earthrealm that he can’t handle. He kept me safe… now it’s my turn. I just don’t tell him that.


	2. Jacqui Briggs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jacqui's views.

I was ready to end it all, if it ended up being me. I was ready to take Kronika down, and give Cassie a run for her money (no more Cassie-the-Shinnok-slayer bullshit). But it wasn’t me, and it wasn’t Cassie, it was Aunt Sonya - well, old her. Cassie should have come back to the OIA, to the squad, with Mr. Cage and Jin and Takeda, but she didn’t. Awhile later, Cass showed up with her sunglasses, and looked like she had Raiden’s old gear on. 

Cass took me aside, and made me an offer that I couldn’t refuse (don’t tell Mr. Cage I’m quoting movies, he’ll never shut up). Hanging out with her, and fighting things that no one else had ever fought before? Kicking ass, taking names, across realms? Sign me the hell up. I don’t want to have anyone else other than her at my back, except maybe Jax, and Sonya, and Johnny. And Takeda, but he’s not part of this. But - they went and talked to Fujin, the god of wind, and it sounds like he felt a lot like Raiden: time to give things up. So Fujin passed his powers to me, and now the winds are mine; you wouldn’t believe what a punch can do with hurricane force behind it.

The hardest thing for me was telling Dad. I knew there’d be the younger Jax around, Sonya’s partner, but not Dad. Dad was angry the day Mr. Cage told him I was joining Special Forces and would be on his team (and no matter how much Aunt Sonya and Dad were like family, Dad has never really liked Mr. Cage), but I knew this would destroy him. I asked Dad to come back to the OIA, as a consultant - that way I could see him, and I knew that everyone else would keep an eye on him. Maybe he and Takeda would get along. Dad didn’t want me to go, and I hated it - I still feel like it was the final betrayal. Mom dead, I’d joined the military even against his wishes, and now I was going off to fight untold horrors in impossibly distant realms. That discussion… did not go well. 

He didn’t go to the OIA. He stayed on the farm, even though it was almost impossible to manage, for a couple of years. Then he sold the farm and moved to someplace smaller, but big enough to stay busy. I stop in every time I can, and I know Takeda calls and checks in on him, for me, but our relationship has never been the same. I know there’s one day I’ll come back, and Takeda will tell me to sit down, he has something to say. And that’s the day I’m going to go find Sonya and tell her Takeda’s next. I want what my mom and dad had, and I think Takeda’s it, because he just makes sure I’m okay, and then takes me out for dinner. No biggie.


	3. Jax

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jax's perspective.

Sonya’s always been there, for everything that mattered. There’s no one else I’d rather have been pulled through time with. Finding out we had kids, old enough to be our sisters? Ridiculous. They’re good kids, though, solid fighters. But I still only want Sonya at my back. So when she asked if I’d come along on her God Squad thing, I couldn’t say no. You never say no to Sonya unless you want your ass kicked.

The only way to make a new god is to kill an old one, or for one to agree to give up its power. That’s what happened for Cass and Jacqui (shit, I have a kid!), but not for Sonya, and not for me. This is a whole new world - there’s magic, Sonya has a goddamned base outside of spacetime and a giant hourglass she can see the futures in. Kronika was something more than a god, she was a Titan - Sonya’s not one of those, far as I can tell, but she’s also more than the rest of us are. She’s still Sonya, though - still picks the biggest dog to take down, has no idea when to back down, and still definitely has no idea how to relax. We’re all trying to teach her that, and it might take our immortal existences to get her to figure it out. Cass definitely takes after her dad on that front, and I think I can tell why Future Me had so many gray hairs if that’s how Jacqui rolls too. 

Cage is the worst - or the best - at this party thing, though, and I think immortality’s gonna work for him, as long as he doesn’t hurt Sonya. I was there when he was made a god, and I’ll rip his godhood from him if he hurts her. Cass, Jacqui and I have a book open on when Sonya’s actually going to give in to him, clue in about her own feelings; I bet about 100 years out.

Jacqui says Future Me is still around, but I don’t go back for him. It’s too awkward - man’s got PTSD, is a widower, and is just downright unhappy; seeing me won’t help. He’s still trying to be around, for Jacqui’s sake, even if he’s miserable. Makes me want to find a good woman to settle down with, if there is such a thing for me, now. There’s something in the god rules that says we’re not supposed to interfere in mortal affairs, unless we take on mortal form, and I’m thinking that once things are a little more settled - once Sonya’s got her whole annihilate-the-opposition first pass down - I’ll check it out. That’s how you get demigods, right?

For now, Sonya and I meet every day (whatever we call it) and look at what she’s seen in the Hourglass, make up a plane of attack. We plan our attacks, strategize, do recon, and we’re going to make sure nothing gets through to Earthrealm that the OIA can’t handle.


	4. Johnny Cage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnny's perspective.

You know you really like someone when you give up your entire career and everything you’ve built up, to go off and defend the world with them. Everyone had made it pretty clear to me that Future Me was better, and I… well, what was it Kung Lao said? A personality like sanding paper? That stung. When Sonya showed up, smoking hot and looking like she’d walked off the set of some sci-fi flick, I was hooked before she said a word. She had on sunglasses - something I’d never seen her wear - and made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. Did I want to come kill a god with her? As pickup lines and first dates go, that was new. Knowing she and I got it on in some alternate timeline, had a kid who turned out pretty badass, got married - even if there were some comments that made it sound like it wasn’t all milk and honey… Well, I wanted in on whatever this was. 

Now, when someone asks me if I’m a god, Ray, I say yes - because I am. And trust me, I’ve heard all the jokes about Johnny Cage, Movie (and sex) God, and my temple will always be Hollywood. But I end up spending most of my time in what used to be Kronika’s Keep, along with her and Cassie and Jax and Jacqui. The kids go back and deal with the OIA, and Future Me, and I sometimes try to slink into Hollywood but it’s - there’s something there that faded; the lights aren’t as bright. I tried the clubbing, tried the partying, even tried to finish the movie filming, but it just doesn’t have the same excitement when you’ve got the ability to open interdimensional portals and go wreck a celestial deity whose idea of fun time means wiping out all of humanity. Weirdly, it’s a selling point. Though it means I can avoid LA traffic. 

There’s something to be said about this hot goddess who throws me across a room every time I cop a feel, but it’s taking her a second or two longer each time, so I think I’m making headway. I’ve scored kisses, too, but if I say anything she’s threatened to strip my godhood and leave me for the Kytinn. That gets a hard pass, so I’m taking it slow. I’ve got eternity, I’m not gonna rush.

Sonya’s picked a fight with something almost impossible, now - I have no idea how we’re going to take this thing down, but she’s convinced it’s got designs on Earthrealm, and she won’t rest until this one is wiped from existence. She sees something in that Hourglass, something that even makes her pale, and I’ve never seen someone push like does on a mission. I’m not backing out; I think I’m starting to understand what being a hero means. And I like it. But there’s always something else lurking, so this isn’t going to wrap anytime soon. And I’m good with that, too.


	5. Sonya Blade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonya's perspective.

I couldn’t believe it when it happened - when that power became mine, and my world changed - again. And I knew then what I had to do. I had a responsibility, a duty, that couldn’t be denied. First came Cassie; as weird as it was to have my future-daughter with me, it had to be her first. Then Jax, because my brother-in-arms has to be with me, and neither of us knew what would happen. I didn’t want to reset time, and that meant keeping him in this timeline. Jacqui was for Cassie, and because I’d seen how competent a soldier she was, and then - well. Cassie pressured me to bring Johnny in. And maybe I missed him, a little - he’s still an ass, but he’s getting better.

I mean, you ask a guy “Want to come kill a god?” And some might say no. Johnny Cage has never met a ‘no’ he doesn’t want to turn into a ‘yes’, and can’t turn down a challenge. I don’t think he’d really thought it through, but that’s also typical. Phenomenal cosmic power, and he just makes sure his hair’s perfect. But he still tries to grab my ass, which means I have to kick his. And then he’ll go and do something nice. Cass’ dad is still around, and we’ve talked a couple of times. If this Johnny can turn into that kind of man, then maybe it’ll be worth keeping him around for the long haul, but I guess that’s pretty obvious if I helped him become immortal. Sometimes I see Cassie watching us, wistful. Makes me feel a little guilty.

The nights are long, and sometimes I look at the Hourglass and wonder what would happen if something was changed, if I tweaked this, or adjusted that. The temptation rises, and then I have to push it aside because I can see how easy it would be to fall into Kronika’s way of thinking. It’s important to understand your enemy, but I refuse to become it. So I have my family - my daughter, my brother, my god-daughter, and… whatever Johnny is. Time will tell. 

I have a new job, new duty. Every day - or what passes for one - I look into the Hourglass and see what’s looking to make headway into Earthrealm. It’s my duty to take these things out, make sure they never set spine or tentacle or foot or claw into the place that was my home. Things with unpronounceable names, nightmare fuel - and also, sometimes, things that look like someone who I’d have seen walking down the street, but a soul black as pitch. If it’s got Earthrealm in its sights, now - or in the future - we go and take it out. I won’t let anything put my home at risk, the people that remain there. I have immense power, and there’s no one else I can trust to do this. We’re the protection Earthrealm needs, because the OIA may not be around forever. We will be.


End file.
